User mini profile

I read with some sadness that Azhar will not be at the county from next season, although typically without any further explanation. I think he had another season in him as a useful back up bowler.

Just wanted to use this forum to wish him all the best. A whole-hearted and consistently effective performer in T20 and CC over the last 5 years who seemed to really enjoy his cricket. One of my favourite players of recent times.

User mini profile

There will have to be a replacement and it does need to be one that can bat a bit.
Much has been made of the frequent middle order collapses but more could and should have come from the tail
Of our five regular pace bowlers, Kleinveldt can bat although his batting has not been so good this year. Buck has contributed a few decent scores but Sanderson, Gleeson and Azhar are all No 11s. And that was probably one of the reasons that Azhar had to go.
But as has been said, a really nice man, always prepared to pass the time of day and one who contributed to some of our greatest triumphs. We shall miss him and should wishhim well.
It is just a pity that he didn't get a better send off. There have been comments on here before about the failure to recognise the contribution of loyal servants who have performed well and sadly this is another example

There will have to be a replacement and it does need to be one that can bat a bit.
Much has been made of the frequent middle order collapses but more could and should have come from the tail
Of our five regular pace bowlers, Kleinveldt can bat although his batting has not been so good this year. Buck has contributed a few decent scores but Sanderson, Gleeson and Azhar are all No 11s. And that was probably one of the reasons that Azhar had to go.
But as has been said, a really nice man, always prepared to pass the time of day and one who contributed to some of our greatest triumphs. We shall miss him and should wishhim well.
It is just a pity that he didn't get a better send off. There have been comments on here before about the failure to recognise the contribution of loyal servants who have performed well and sadly this is another example

Agree with all this except I don't think Azhar's batting should come into the equation. He is a skillful bowler who offers something different from our other seamers, being smaller and with his skiddy action. I think he would have been very useful back up for at least another year. It's also important to remember that over the years he's been one of our fittest seamers, rarely injured. When you consider how often we have at least one seamer out through injury (we even pulled Carter out of retirement this year to cover), this should be an important factor to weigh up.

User mini profile

These days batting does have to play a part in the contribution made by bowlers.
Think back to the year we last won promotion and our lower order was often 8 Middlebrook,
9 Willey, 10 Crook and 11 Copeland. Together they contributed nearly 1800 runs with Copeland at No 11 contributing 247.
This year our 8 -11 have normally been Kleinveldt Sanderson and any two from Buck, Gleeson and Azhar. Those 5 have collectively scored only 800 runs, I wonder how many additional batting bonus points an extra 1000 runs would have contributed. Probably more than 5.
And remember that on Wednesday Notts avoided the follow on, and possibly defeat, against Sussex because Gurney, batting 11, made 42 not out in a last wicket stand of over 70. Azhar's total score for the season was 73, although to be fair he was not out 5 times.

And remember that on Wednesday Notts avoided the follow on, and possibly defeat, against Sussex because Gurney, batting 11, made 42 not out in a last wicket stand of over 70. Azhar's total score for the season was 73, although to be fair he was not out 5 times.

It could be argued that this was an exception to the general rule at exactly the right time, similar to our Copeland season in 2013, whose batting was an unexpected major bonus at the later stages in the innings.

User mini profile

I take your point and I agree that we need a stronger lower order, but we should work on the batting of Sanderson and particularly Gleeson, who has shown signs that he can be more than a number 11. Azhar never has really shown those signs, but IMO is still worth a place.

One thing is to say we need a stronger lower order, but it's another to suggest that their batting contribution could have brought promotion, when the middle order, who are selected primarily for their batting, have far more responsibility for not achieving this.

User mini profile

Hard to disagree with any of the points and in my view the person who should be going is really Crook. However presumably the Club are tied by the contracts of various players. Azhar may be unlucky in that his contract is at an end.
As ever with Northants money will be an issue and we probably can't afford a new player without losing an existing one. So if we want to sign Procter and a bowler to replace Azhar, there won't be anything left to allow for the signing of say Kerrigan - much as I would like to see that happen.
The other day I read on here that Cross was on £80,000 when at Lancs. A keeper who probably wouldn't have got in our team being paid probably more than any of our players. If Procter was on anything like that figure recruitment may be difficult